The surprising places Linux is quietly running (including an entire country's elections)

Published Oct 13, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT Nick Lewis is an editor at How-To Geek. He has been using computers for 20 years --- tinkering with everything from the UI to the Windows registry to device firmware. Before How-To Geek, he used Python and C++ as a freelance programmer. In college, Nick made extensive use of Fortran while pursuing a physics degree. Nick's love of tinkering with computers extends beyond work. He has been running video game servers from home for more than 10 years using Windows, Ubuntu, or Raspberry Pi OS. He also uses Proxmox to self-host a variety of services, including a Jellyfin Media Server, an Airsonic music server, a handful of game servers, NextCloud, and two Windows virtual machines. He enjoys DIY projects, especially if they involve technology. He regularly repairs and repurposes old computers and hardware for whatever new project is at hand. He has designed crossovers for homemade speakers all the way from the basic design to the PCB. Nick enjoys the outdoors. When he isn't working on a computer or DIY project, he is most likely to be found camping, backpacking, or canoeing. Linux has a reputation as a difficult operating system for enthusiasts only or as the operating system running in a data center. However, it is more widespread than that. It runs countless devices you see and use regularly—and a few you don't—even though it isn't immediately obvious. SpaceX rockets and capsules use Linux Falcon 9, Dragon, and Starlink satellites all run Linux-based flight software Falcon 9, SpaceX's workhorse rocket, and their manned Dragon capsule both run a version of Linux fine-tuned for their hardware. SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which now number more than 10,000, also run Linux. Linux has been in space for decades now in some form or another, but most flight computers run specialized real-time operating systems designed to minimize delays and run on radiation-hardened computers. To achieve a setup reliable enough to safely "fly" a rocket, SpaceX customized the Linux kernel and uses three separate flight computers, each with a dual-core processor. Each computer performs the same calculations, and then they compare results to achieve a consensus before acting. A similar setup is common in commercial aviation; planes will often have three or five processors performing identical calculations. A helicopter flew on Mars running Linux NASA's Ingenuity used Linux Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Ingenuity was a tiny, four-pound helicopter that launched to Mars with the Perseverance rover. Unlike Perseverance, which runs a traditional real-time operating system (VxWorks), Ingenuity ran a customized version of Linux on a Snapdragon 801—the same kind of chip you might have found in a smartphone in 2014. Ingenuity was originally intended to fly five times to test powered flight on Mars, but wound up flying 72 times before damage to a rotor put it out of commission. Still, the mission was a resounding success and proved not only that powered flight on Mars was viable, but also that consumer hardware running Linux could operate successfully on Mars for years. Some election machines run on Debian VotingWorks built the only open-source voting system used in US elections VotingWorks VxSuite—which includes precinct scanners and ballot-marking devices—is built on Debian 12. Because VotingWorks is a nonprofit that publishes its source code and pricing, anyone can review how the system actually works. You can find these systems in jurisdictions across New Hampshire and Mississippi. Globally, they're not alone either. Brazil runs a custom Linux distro called UEnux for all of its elections, and the Australian Capital Territory uses Linux too. Your car's dashboard might be a Linux computer Toyota, Lexus, and Tesla infotainment systems run on Linux Many automakers use Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) for their dashboards. Toyota and Lexus have rolled this out across most of their vehicles sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Mazda and Subaru have also used AGL in some vehicles. By using Linux, automakers maintain control over user data and software updates rather than trusting every facet of a car's smart features to Android Auto or CarPlay. Tesla also uses a Linux-based system. If you want, you can actually check for this in your own vehicle by looking for an "open-source licenses" section somewhere in the settings. Brakes, airbags, and other essential features run on a separate system from the infotainment system. The seat-back screen on your last flight Many in-flight entertainment systems are built on Linux A shot of the low-profile Starlink Aero Terminal with an electronically steered phased array antenna on my JSX plane.Credit: Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek Cars and spaceships aren't the only kinds of transportation that run Linux either. If you've ever flown with Delta, Qantas, Emirates, or Singapore Airlines, you've probably used a Linux-based seat-back infotainment system. JetBlue's system is Linux too, since it is based on the Android operating system. The interfaces on these entertainment systems are different enough that they probably won't immediately register as Linux, but if you can catch them restarting, you may be able to see a brief wall of text as the operating system loads. Using Linux allows manufacturers to customize the distro to their specific needs and avoid licensing fees, which add up significantly if you're paying per entertainment unit and have tens of thousands of units. Smart fridges and TVs Many smart devices run Linux Credit: Samsung Samsung uses Tizen, a Linux-based platform, as the operating system for its smart TVs and Family Hub refrigerators. This allows them to put a full app platform on inexpensive hardware. It is also what has made it possible to run other programs on a smart fridge—you're not starting from scratch. Samsung isn't alone. LG's webOS is built on Linux. Google TV is built on Android which itself is built on Linux. Even Roku OS is built on Linux, albeit with a lot of proprietary customization layered on top. Linux wins when cost, control, and performance matter With the right know-how and a clear vision of what you want, you can turn the basic Linux kernel into almost anything you want, be that the flight computer for a rocket or a smart fridge. Everyone talks about the "Year of Linux," where Linux desktops break through into the mainstream. While Linux desktops aren't mainstream today, Linux itself is. In fact, it is difficult to go about modern life without encountering it in one form or another.